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MWCC Commonwealth Corps Member Recognized at Massachusetts State House

Posted on June 28, 2019July 1, 2019

Rachel Vargeletis stands at the podium in the Massachusetts State House after a ceremony in which she was honored alongside fellow Commonwealth Corps Service Members after doing more than 1,500 hours of service at Mount Wachusett Community College.

Rachel Vargeletis was honored alongside her fellow Commonwealth Corps Service Members at the State House in Boston on June 27 after doing more than 1,500 hours of service at Mount Wachusett Community College.

“For a second year in a row we were fortunate to have been awarded support from the Massachusetts Service Alliance for a Commonwealth Corps Service Member to help advance the mission of Changemaking in North Central Massachusetts. Our selected Service Member, Rachel Vargeletis, did a fantastic job of serving in a leadership position to continue to support the Changemaking philosophy.” said Lauren Mountain, Director of United Way Youth Venture.

Throughout her time serving at MWCC, Vargeletis, who is from Ashburnham, supported United Way Youth Venture of North Central Massachusetts and the Changemaker Initiative in 13 partnering schools and organizations in North Central Massachusetts, created and wrote a monthly electronic publication, prepared a video by capturing students’ feelings about their Changemaker teachers, and coordinated several Changemaker events including a large scale Changemaker Celebration.

“I joined the Commonwealth Corps because I wanted an opportunity to give back to my community and make positive change in a more impactful way than I have before,” said Vargeletis who explained through the program she has been able to mentor and empower students. “Before the Commonwealth Corps, I wanted to be a social worker. After the Commonwealth Corps, I want to be an elementary school teacher.”

MWCC’s United Way Youth Venture program is a partnership between the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Mount Wachusett Community College and Ashoka’s Youth Venture. The program was chosen as one of 17 Commonwealth Corps Host Site Partners for this past program year. UWYV hosted a Commonwealth Corps member to design, implement, and deliver Changemaking initiatives in the North Central Massachusetts region.

Administered by the Massachusetts Service Alliance, the Commonwealth Corps is a state-funded service internship program, which engages Massachusetts residents of all ages and backgrounds in service to strengthen communities, address unmet community needs, and increase volunteerism. Serving a 10.5-month term, Corps members provide direct service; build capacity; and recruit, organize, and mobilize additional volunteers, thus building a grassroots movement of volunteers dedicated to service.